Ryan Blaney Admits Talladega Looms Large Despite Playoff Focus

For Team Penske, the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs have become familiar territory. Since the debut of the Next Gen car in 2022, the organization has produced three consecutive championships: Joey Logano in 2022 and 2024, and Ryan Blaney in 2023. This marks one of the most dominant playoff streaks in recent memory. Blaney’s consistent form has shown in 10 top-five finishes and six straight top-10s to close the regular season. But in the postseason, consistency is often tested at tracks where unpredictability reigns. That looming challenge has drivers circling one special superspeedway date on the calendar.

Talladega Superspeedway has long been known as the great equalizer. Its history is littered with last-lap wrecks and razor-thin margins that can instantly alter the playoff picture. Blaney himself has mastered the chaos before, earning three wins there—including a 2019 photo-finish victory by just 0.007 seconds, one of NASCAR’s closest finishes ever. Yet while his track record proves his capability, Talladega’s very nature guarantees no safety net, no matter past success. As the Cup Series inches toward October’s YellaWood 500, even defending champion Ryan Blaney must acknowledge the cloud of uncertainty ahead.

A Talladega conundrum for Ryan Blaney

In previewing the postseason, Blaney emphasized his approach of blocking out distractions, setting his focus strictly race-by-race. “I just look at what’s the next race and I look forward to that one the most,” he explained, naming Gateway as his current focus. He described his mindset as pouring “all my energy into it one week at a time,” a disciplined approach that fueled his championship run. But even as he framed Gateway and Bristol as short-term goals, his words hinted at one track that defies this week-to-week logic.

Pressed on his concerns, Blaney admitted there is one date that no playoff driver can ignore. “The one that worries me the most, I think everybody is going to see Talladega because it’s a speedway and you never know what’s going to happen.” For a driver who’s excelled there before, this honest acknowledgment highlights Talladega’s volatility. It’s a venue where a single misstep can derail months of momentum in seconds. That recognition underscores Talladega’s unique challenge on the playoff calendar—even for a past winner.

Still, Blaney balanced concern with optimism. “You just hope to make it to the round of 8, and then you go and tackle that weekend,” he said. He framed the race as a hurdle rather than a foregone conclusion. Once there, he believes the key is maintaining the same mentality that fuels his week-to-week success. “It’s just the way I have to think to be in a good headspace going on to each race track and thinking you can win every single week.” The only question is whether Talladega will reward or punish that mindset this time.

For now, Blaney enters the postseason with momentum on his side. Team Penske has delivered titles in three consecutive years. Gateway and Bristol will test his focus immediately, but Talladega looms in October. The round of 8 race could decide whether his pursuit of another championship stays on track, and his recent comments on NASCAR’s crown jewel races have only added fuel to discussions about his priorities and perspectives.

Blaney’s crown jewel rankings stir debate amid Talladega focus

Ryan Blaney’s playoff run has drawn attention for his measured approach—tackling each race one week at a time with Talladega looming as the unpredictable test ahead. Off the track, he’s sparked fresh debate by challenging the traditional hierarchy of NASCAR’s most prestigious events. Blaney outlined his own “Crown Jewel” rankings, reshuffling the order that fans and media often accept.

The Daytona 500, long deemed the “Great American Race,” did not top Blaney’s list. Instead, he placed the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte first, followed by Darlington’s Southern 500, then Daytona, and finally the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis. His reasoning flips the script, ranking endurance and toughness above legacy and tradition. For Blaney, survival’s test outweighs pageantry.

“To me personally, there’s four crown jewels. … Daytona, Darlington, Coke 600, and Indy. I put Indy in there … To me, I feel like it’s Coke 600, Darlington, Daytona, then Indy,” Blaney said. He explained how Charlotte’s marathon length and Darlington’s relentless demands set them apart. He added that the Coca-Cola 600 “starts in the day and ends at night,” leaving drivers physically and mentally drained by the finish line. That exhaustion, he argued, defines true prestige.

His candid ranking dovetails with his playoff mindset. Just as Talladega looms for its unpredictability, the crown jewels in Blaney’s eyes are those that test grit and focus to their limits. While fans may debate his order, his perspective as a reigning champion offers a unique window into how those behind the wheel measure greatness differently.